Birthday of Radha is celebrated as Radhaashtami throughout the country and especially in the north, with full devotion and joy. Radha Ashtami is observed after 15 days of Janmashtami, which is celebrated as the birthday
of Lord Krishna. Radharani's birthday is the sacred eighth day of the
month of Bhadrapada (August-September). Sri Radha was born in Barsana,
suburb of Mathura and appeared as the daughter of Vrishabhanu and Kirti.

Beleif on Radha Ashthami

Sri Radha was older to Lord Krishna and it is believed that the divine girl did not open her eyes until Sri Krishna was born. The relationship of Sri Krishna and Radha surpasses human concepts and is spiritual in nature. It is redundant to affirm that one may attain Krishna only through the Grace of Radha.

Hindu scriptures described that Radha and Sri
Krishnas relation was a pure form of spirituality. Their sacred
relationship and dedication towards each other have great spiritual energy.Vedic Literature explains that Radha is Krishna's Spiritual Energy. Whenever the Lord incarnates, His Spiritual
Energy also takes up a Female Form. Hence Hindus always worship Laxmi
with Narayan, Seeta with Ram and Radha with Krishna. It is redundant to
state that one may attain Krishna only through the Grace of Radha.

To understand the relationship between Shree Radha
and Shree Krushna, first we have to clear the worldly impurities from
our minds, which is clogging our vision. Once these impurities are
removed we will understand the true meaning of SAMARPAN - Raslila...the
Eternal Bliss.

It is always Shree Radha and Krishna together or
simply Shree Radhakrishna. Radha exists with Shree Krushna; not without
Shree Krushna. Radha represents the individual soul and Shree Krushna
the universal soul. On a lower level, we say the individual soul merges
with the universal soul.

In fact, Radha on seeing Shree Krushna realizes
that there is nothing called the individual soul and that she is Shree
Krushna.The love of Shree Radha and Shree Krushna has been immortalized in verses by many poets of yesteryear and the unparalleled love continues to inspire many.

Radha and Krishna were celestial beings and their
love was eternal. Whether they were married or not, their love made them
united for ever.

Celebration

On the day of Radhaashtami, devotees are allowed special sanctions which are
not allowed generally. Like, Radharani's name is usually not chanted
due to the possibility of committing faults towards her. Neither people
are allowed to enter into Radha Kunda, or Radharani's Pond, which is
considered holy. On the day of Radhastami, people wait until midnight in
order to bathe there. People chant her names on the ''appearance day''
or birthday of Sri Radha. Radharani is believed to ''appear'', being an
eternal companion of Krishna, she does not take birth or die.

During the festival of Radha Astami, devotees worship Radha along with Lord Sri Krishna.

Legends

The legends of
Radha-Krishna have become immortal. There are numerous legends and
stories of Radha and Krishna depicting their true love. Radha's devotion
and dedication towards Sri Krishna is the most sincere one. Here are
some legends of Radha-Krishna portraying their love for each other.

Legend of Hot Milk

This is one interesting story showing the eternal relation of Radha and Krishna. Radha was not married to Lord Krishna. The immeasurable love of Krishna for Radha made Krishna's wives
jealous of Radha. Once, they all planned a mischief to make Radha
suffer. They set out a bowl of burning hot milk. They gave the bowl to
Radha, saying that Krishna had sent it for her. Radha readily drank the
hot milk.

When the wives returned to Krishna, they found him full of painful ulcers. This shows that
Krishna resides in every pore of Radha i.e. why the hot milk didn't
touch Radha, but it affected Krishna. He took all her pain and miseries
upon himself.

Legend of Charanaamrit

This
is another sweet story depicting the intense love between Radha and
Krishna. Once, Sri Krishna got very ill. Krishna asked that he would be
alright if, he would get the Charanaamrit of a true devotee. All the
Gopis were asked but none of them offered. They were afraid of
committing a serious offense, by offering the water with which they had
washed their feet to Sri Krishna.

When
Radha came to know about the situation, she said: "Take as much as you
like. What does it matter if I have to go to hell as long as my Lord is
released of His pain and ailment"! Radha offered the Charanaamrit with
true heart. It is due to this fact; it is believed that Radha could not
marry Lord Krishna. Radha loved Krishna from the core of her heart but still she offered Charanaamrit to Krishna to save him from his sickness.

...PARiNA...IF-Rockerz

Radha , also called Radhika, Radharani and Radhikarani, is the childhood friend and lover of Krishna in the Bhagavata Purana, and the Gita Govinda of the Vaisnava traditions of Hinduism.Radha is almost always depicted alongside Krishna and features prominently within the theology of today's Gaudiya Vaishnava sect, which regards Radha as the original Goddess or Shakti. Radha is also the principal object of worship in the Nimbarka Sampradaya, as Nimbarka, the founder of the tradition, declared that Radha and Krishna together constitute the absolute truth.Radha's relationship with Krishna is given in further detail within texts such as the Brahma Vaivarta Purana, Garga Samhita and Brihad Gautamiya tantra.Radha is often referred to as Radharani or "Radhika" in speech,
prefixed with the respectful term 'Srimati' by devout followers. Radha
is an incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi.

Birth

Radha was the daughter of Vrishbhanu who was king Suchandra in his
previous life. Suchandra and his wife had acquired a boon from Brahmaji
that in the Dwapar age Shri Laxmi will be born as a daughter to them in
the form of Radha. King Suchendra and Queen Kalavati only were reborn as
Vrishbhanu and Kirtikumari and Laxmiji was incarnated as Radha.

It is said that at the time of Radha's birth, Devarshi Narad himself
went and met Vrishbhanu and informed him, "This girl's beauty and nature
is divine. All the houses, wherever her footprints are, Lord Narayan
with all other deities will reside. Nurture this girl thinking her to be
a Goddess." According to Naradji's advice, Vrishbhanu nurtured Radha
with great love and care. Nandbaba who lived in the nearby village was
friends with Vrishbanu. Once during the festival of Holi; Vrishbanu went
to Gokul to meet Nandrai. At Nandrai and Yashoda's house Krishna (who
was growing up as their son) met Radha. Their union was divine,
phenomenal and incessant. This meeting was Radha and Krishna's first
meeting which became eternal.

Radha's love towards Krishna in the terrestrial or customary meaning
is not just the relation between a man and woman. The feeling of this
love is divine and phenomenal which gives this love a pious form. The
philosophical side of this reduces the distance of the support and
supportive, also the difference between the worshipper and worshipful is
not there. Krishna is the life of Vraj; Radha is the soul of Krishna.
That is why, it is said, "Atma Tu Radhika Tasya" (Radha, you are His
soul). One form of Radha is, she is a devotee, worshipper of Krishna and
in the second form she is the worshipful, devoted by Krishna.
'Aradhyate Asau itii Radha.' Radha ' Krishna's love is the symbol of the
feeling of being united. When two souls are united, the difference of
the other or the second vanishes.Her father Vrsabhanu was the king of
cowherds GopYadavas. Vrsabhanu was a partial incarnation of Lord Narayana while her mother Kalavati was a partial incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi.

Her worship is especially prominent in Vrindavan,
the place where Krishna is said to have lived. Wherein Her importance
surpasses even the importance of Krishna. Radha's love for Krishna is
held within Gaudiya Vaishnavism as the most perfect primarily because of
its endless and unconditional nature. Thus she is the most important
friend of Krishna, 'His heart and soul', and His 'hladini-shakti'
(mental companion potency).

In the Brihad-Gautamiya Tantra, Radharani is described as follows: "The transcendental goddess
Srimati Radharani is the direct counterpart of Lord Sri Krishna. She is
the central figure for all the goddesses of fortune. She possesses all
the attractiveness to attract the all-attractive Personality of Godhead.
She is the primeval internal potency of the Lord."

Quotations about Radha

"Although the effulgence of the moon is brilliant initially at night, in the daytime it fades away. Similarly, although the lotus is beautiful during the daytime, at night it closes. But, O My friend, the face of My most dear Srimati Radharani is always bright and beautiful, both day and night. Therefore, to what can Her face be compared?" (Vidagdha-madhava 5.20)

"When Srimati Radharani smiles, waves of joy overtake Her cheeks, and Her arched eyebrows dance like the bow of Cupid. Her glance is so enchanting that it is like a dancing bumblebee, moving unsteadily due to intoxication. That bee has bitten the whorl of My heart." (Vidagdha-madhava 2.51)

"Just as Srimati Radharani is most dear to Krishna, Her bathing pond is similarly dear. Of all the gopis, She is the most beloved of the Lord." (Padma Purana)

"The transcendental goddess Srimati Radharani is the direct counterpart of Lord Sri Krishna. She is the central figure for all the goddesses of fortune. She possesses all attractiveness to attract the all-attractive Personality of Godhead. She is the primeval internal potency of the Lord." (Brihad-gautamiya-tantra)

"Among all persons, it is Sri Radha in whose company Lord Madhava is especially glorious, as She is especially glorious in His." (Rig-parisishta)

The
total Auspicious Marks on both the Lotus Feet of Shrimati Radha = 19

"Oh,
Supreme Goddess of the Vrndavana forest! Your lotus feet are brimming
full of flowing rasa extract, the essential honey of full-blown love nectars.
Holding such feet to His chest, Madhupati (Krsna), the Lord of all sweetness,
extinguishes the burning fever of Cupid. So supremely cooling, I now take
shelter of them.

That
which is present deep within the heart of all the Upanisads in the most
well hidden secret; this pair of Sri Radha's divine lotus feet is my refuge
- simply full of Her own feminine dancing playfulness."

I
worship Sri Radha, whose feet are endowed with the 19
great opulences of, on the left foot, the parasol, ari, flag, vine,
flower, bracelet, lotus,urdhva-rekha, elephant-goad,
halfmoon, and barleycorn, and on the right foot, the sakti,
club, chariot, altar, earrings, fish, mountain, and conchshell. (Sri
Rupa Cintamani)

Description and the locations of the imprints on the lotus feet of Srimati
Radhika

O
mind! Please meditate on the left lotus of Srimati Radharani which is
decorated with the following auspicious markings:
Below the toe of the left foot is a barleycorn and a disc. Starting
from mid point between the main toe and the second toe, continuing for
half the length of the foot, is a shining upward-line. Below the middle
toe are a lotus, flag, flower and a twig. Below the little toe is an
elephant goad. Below the disc is an umbrella, and below that is a bracelet.
On the heel is a beautiful looking half-moon.

Please
remember the right lotus feet of Srimati Radhika with the following
descriptions of the markings:
On the heel of the right foot is a fish. Above that is a chariot. Above the
chariot is a mountain.
On one side of the chariot is a sakti weapon, and on the other side
is a club.
Above the club is the conchshell, which is at the root of the toe. Below the
little toe is a sacrifice altar, and below the sacrificial altar is
an earring.

'Pada
Sevanam - Meditation on the Lotus Feet and Hands of Their Lordships',
Text 1-3

I worship
Sri Radha whose lotus feet are endowed with nineteen great auspicious
markings of: on the left foot are eleven markings of an umbrella, disc,
flag, vine, flower, bracelet, lotus, upward-line, elephant-goad, half-moon,
and barleycorn, and on the right foot are eight markings of the sakti,
club, chariot, sacrificial altar, earrings, fish, mountain, and conch-shell.

There is
a barleycorn below the toe of the left foot of Sri Radhika. Below that
is a disc, and below that is an umbrella, below the umbrella is a bracelet,
and then there is an upper-line which starts from mid-point between the
second toe and the main toe and goes down in a crooked way till it covers
half the foot. Below the middle toe is a lotus, and below that is a flag.
Below the little toe is an elephant goad. On the heel is a half-moon,
and above that is a flower. Thus there are eleven auspicious markings
decorating the left foot of Srimati Radharani.

There is
a conch-shell at the origin of the toe of the right foot of Srimati Radharani.
Below the little toe is a sacrificial altar, and below that is an earring.
Below the second and the middle toe is a mountain. On the heel is a fish,
and above the fish is a chariot. Thus there are eight markings on the
right foot of Srimati Radharani. When combining these eight with those
of the left foot, it becomes nineteen auspicious markings. In this way,
the nineteen auspicious markings on the feet of Srimati Radharani are
eternally remembered.

May my mind
always float in the ocean of divine nectar emanating from the lotus feet
of Srimati Radharani. No more fear of millions of hells. Studying of the
scriptures has become simply troublesome. Merging into the brahman effulgence
is terrible. The ecstatic symptoms of devotion to the Lord that are felt
by the great devotees like Suka have lost their charms.

O Radha!
You are my sole Ruler and only shelter. Countless gopis of Vraja swarm
around Your lotus feet and worship them wholeheartedly. Your lotus feet
are an inexhaustible fountainhead of the quintessence of universal love
and are inconceivable to great saints. That is perhaps the reason why
great devotees are striving with ever increasing courage and hope to catch
the sweetness and beauty of the grace that flows from Your lotus feet.
O Queen! Will You be pleased to show me the particular manner in which
I should serve Your lotus feet?

Lotus chanting
of the holy name of Lord Hari with love attracts my mind towards Sri Radha's
feet. This attraction becomes very strong as soon as the delicious ingredient
of Sri Radha's service is added to the chanting. Meditation on blissful
Krsna as He roams about in Vrndavana has put me under the shade of the
tender feet of kind Sri Radha.

My only shelter
is Sri Radhika's lotus feet which I yearn to worship with love and devotion.
These lotus feet of Srimati Radhika are painted by Krsna's soft fingers
with a feather dipped in the most fragrant red-colored juice. The gopis
follow Krsna's example and worship the same feet for the happiness of
all living entities. These feet are glorified in the Upanisads, and are
found in the depth of the hearts of pure devotees.

O Vrndavanesvar!
O Sri Radhe! I pray for the shelter of Your lotus feet. Your lotus feet
are treasure house of nectar of divine love. Syamasundara keeps them safely
and dearly in His heart. These feet are the supreme cooling remedy for
the blazing fires of this material world.

O dear Sri
Radha! When out of sheer compassion, and moved by Krsna's overwhelming
love for You, will grant Him His prayers to message Your lotus feet? At
that time, I shell look at the ecstatic smiling faces of both of You,
and so encouraged I shall hug Your feet with my hands, and taste the nectar
of Your lotus feet to my full satisfaction.

O Vrsabhanu-nandini!
I bow down to Your lotus feet with great awe and reverence, from which
selfless love is ever pouring forth in abundance. In His ceaseless and
tireless efforts to win Your grace, Sri Krsna, the God of love of Vrndavana
and Supreme Almighty, always solicits the favors of Your servants with
love and affection.

I know, and
it has been confirmed by all reliable authorities that Madana-Mohana Krsna
would be so ecstatically delighted to see pure devotion unto Sri Radha's
lotus feet that he would descend from His worshipped throne to embrace,
kiss, give His chewed betel nuts, and garland to Sri Radhika's devotee.
When shall I be blessed with such devotion, getting such treatment from
Krsna as my reward for devotion to Radha's lotus feet?

O Radhika!
When shall I enjoy the fortune of having my head used by You as Your footstool?
Your feet, which are the life-treasure of Govinda, will then be a crown
on my head. They will further bathe my head with a pure nectarine flood
of love that always flows among Your devotees.

"O Queen of Vrndavana, O Radharani, Your complexion is like molten gold,
Your doe-like eyes are captivatingly restless, a million full and brilliant
moons wane before Your lustrous countenance, and a blue sari, having stolen
the hue of a fresh rain-laden cloud, has enwrapped Your exquisite form. O
Radha, You are the crest-jewel of all the dallying damsels of Vrndavana,
fragrant and pristine like a budding jasmine flower. Your sublime form is
adorned with priceless jewelry, and you are the best of all the charming and
intelligent gopis. You are decorated with all wonderful excellences and
surrounded by eight dedicated and beloved cowherd girls known as the
asta-sakhis.

"The ambrosia of Your beautiful lips, red as the bimba fruit, is
life-giving syrup to Krsna. O Radha, I am rolling on the banks of the Yamuna,
my poor heart filled with anticipation, praying to You with all humility. I am
guilty of being an offender, a rascal, a useless wretch--yet I beg You to
kindly engage me in even the smallest service to Your lotus feet. O most
merciful Lady, it will not become You to ignore this most distressed soul, for
Your heart is always overflowing with compassion and love."

Radha-Stuti

radha raseshvari ramya

rama cha paramatmanah

rasodbhava
krishna-kanta

krishna-vaksha-sthala-sthita

"Beautiful Shrimate Radharani is
the queen and the origin of the rasa dance. She is the giver of pleasure to
Krishna, who is the Supersoul in the hearts of all. She is the lover of Krishna
and is always situated upon the chest of the Lord."krishna-pranadhidevi
cha

maha-vishnoh prasur
api

sarvadya vishnu-maya
cha

satya nitya sanatani

"She is the presiding Deity of
Krishna's very life, and She is the first of all persons, the energy of Lord
Vishnu, the embodiment of truthfulness--eternal and ever-youthful."

brahma-svarupa parama

nirlipta nirguna para

vrinda vrindavane tvam
cha

viraja-tata-vasini

"Her form is spiritual,
therefore She is transcendental and beyond mundane qualities. She is divine
energy and is unattached. O Radha, in Vrindavana You are the leader of the gopis,
and You reside on the banks of the Viraja River."

goloka-vasini gopi

gopisha gopa-matrika

sananda paramananda

nanda-nandana-kamini

"She is a resident of Goloka
Vrindavana and is a cowherd damsel. She is the queen of the gopis and the divine
mother of the cowherd boys. She is joyful and always experiencing the highest
bliss, and She incites lusty desires in the heart of the son of Nanda (Lord
Krishna)."

vrishabhanu-suta
shanta

kanta purnatama tatha

kamya kalavati-kanya

tirtha-putra sati
shubha

"Radha is the daughter of
Maharaja Vrishabhanu. She is very peaceful and lovely. She is completely
contented and fulfilled, very pleasing and is the daughter of Kalavati. She is
the purifier of the tirthas (holy places) and She is most auspicious and chaste
to Lord Krishna."

samsara-sagare ghore

bhitam mam
sharanagatam

sarvebhyo 'pi
vinirmuktam

kuru radhe surshvari

"O Radha, I have fallen into the
horrible ocean of birth and death and am frightened, but I am seeking Your
shelter. O queen of the demigods, please free me from all fears."

tvat-pada-padma-yugale

pada-padmalayarcite

dehi mahyam param
bhaktim

krishnena parisevite

"O Radhika, please give me
transcendental devotional service to Your lotus feet, which are worshiped by
Lord Brahma and Lakshmi, and which are served even by Lord Krishna."

tapta-kanchana-gaurangi

radhe vrindavaneshvari

vrishabhanu-sute devi

pranamami hari-priye

"O Shrimati Radharani, I offer
my respects to You whose bodily complexion is like molten gold. O Goddess, You
are the queen of Vrindavana. You are the daughter of King Vrishabhanu, and are
very dear to Lord Krishna."

mahabhava-svarupa tvam

krishna-priya-variyasi

prema-bhakti-prade
devi

radhike tvam namamy
aham

"O Shrimate Radharani, You are
the exalted form of mahabhava, therefore You are the most dear to Krishna. O
Goddess, You alone are able to bestow pure love for the Supreme Lord; therefore
I offer my humble obeisances unto You."

When will Sri Radhika, who is a splendid ruby in
the crown of all nectarean doe-eyed girls, a swan swimming in the lake of love
for jubilant Lord Krsna, and a celestial vine sprouted from Vraja's exalted
King Vrsabhanu, bathe me in Her service?

When will Sri Radhika,
who, accidentally meeting restless Krsna in the outskirts of the forest,
stared at Him with suspicious eyes as he cast amorous glances at Her and
flattered Her with many sweet and gentle words, bathe me in Her service?

When will Sri Radhika, who the girls of Vraja love as
much as their own lives, who the gopa queen Yasoda loves as much as Lord Krsna,
and who makes the heart of charming lalita blossom with love, bathe me in Her
service?

When will Sri Radhika, who in the company of
Visakha at the forest's edge strings a Vaijayanti garland from the flowers of
many trees, and who is the beautiful beloved resting on Lord Krsna's handsome
chest, bathe me in Her service?

When will Sri
Radhika, who smelling the fragrance of Lord Krsna and hearing the sweet sounds
of His flute, ran to Him in the forest grove and, scratching Her ears,
approached Him with smiling eyes and lowered face, bathe me in Her service?

Pleased with any person who,
abandoning all hope of material happiness, and overwhelmed (with love), reads
this sweet Sri Radhastaka with a pure heart, the prince of Vraja (Krsna) of
His own accord places him among Sri Radha's personal associates.

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